Call: Interreg Italy-Slovenia Priority 1

The programme will focus on the following four priorities:

1. Promoting innovation capacities for a more competitive area. This priority aims at promoting more effective investments in research and innovation (R&I) and education. The focus will be on reinforcement of existing potentials of innovative sectors such as sectors that could be attractive to foreign investors. This will be achieved through a better cooperation among public and private actors involved in R&I. Actions implemented in the framework of this priority will represent a tangible response to challenges and needs in the cross-border cooperation area. In fact, although the area covered with the programme is characterized by strong R&D and innovation potentials, there is still room for strengthening and building on the successful cooperation with the business sector. This will improve the competitiveness of the production system in an innovation-friendly context.
2. Cooperating for low carbon strategies. This priority aims at supporting eco-friendly economic growth alongside cross-border cooperation in the design of integrated solutions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The programme will also develop and implement low-carbon energy and mobility strategies that shall base on policies and measures aiming at the protection of the environment against human-induced change. Actions supporting resilience to the impacts of the climate change through various measures for adaptation and mitigation will also be considered. Even at the micro-level, these strategies are expected to become a new reference model for territorial development. 
3. Protecting and promoting natural and cultural resources. At the core of this priority is the preservation and promotion of area's natural and cultural sites as attractive tourist destinations. This will be achieved through various ICT tools, trainings for new skills and competences, territorial marketing, branding and communication strategies and social media promotion. Although tourism is considered to be an important factor of development, great attention will be paid to its environmental sustainability. Diversification of the tourism offer by focusing on naturalistic ecological activities, sport, history, local products, customs and traditions and many others, understands responsible tourism that inspires eco-friendly behaviour. This leads to reduction of the negative impacts of touristic flows on natural and cultural heritage sites alongside the creation of new job opportunities.
4. Enhancing capacity building and cross-border governance. This priority will focus on modernization and improved quality of services by the public administration. Knowledge-share of best practices as well as harmonized and coordinated activities among cross-border institutions will support this process. Closer integration and understanding of the legislative framework and administrative practices implemented by the two countries is the key success factor for the competitiveness of the entire area. 

Projects must address the objectives of priority axis 1 "Promoting innovation capacities for a more competitive area": Promoting business investment in R&I, developing links and synergies between enterprises, research and development centers and the higher education sector, in particular promoting investment in product and service development, technology transfer, social innovation, eco-innovation, public service applications, demand stimulation, networking, clusters and open innovation through smart specialization, and supporting technological and applied research, pilot lines, early product validation actions, advanced manufacturing capabilities and first production, in particular in key enabling technologies and diffusion of general purpose technologies. As well as the related specific objective to strengthen the cooperation among key actors to promote the knowledge transfer and innovative activities in key sectors of the area.
 

At least one partner from Italy and one partner from Slovenia.
The Programme will limit the number of Project Partners up to 6, only in well justified cases bigger partnerships will be allowed. 

Co-funding: 85 %.
min. 600 000 €, max. 1 500 000 € per project.

Managing Authority
Autonomous Region Friuli Venezia Giulia
Central Directorate for Finance, Property, Coordination and Programming of Economic and EU Policies
Coordination and Programming of Economic, patrimony and EU Policies Department
European Territorial Cooperation, State Aid and General Affairs Office
via Udine 9
34132 Trieste - Italy
adg.itaslo@regione.fvg.it